Lunar drabbles
by itsnnoah
Summary: What happened to them after they defeated Levana?
1. I am sorry

**I saw this really interesting tumblr prompt of making drabbles in which I have to include little phrases—like the 'I am sorry' of this one?—so I decided I would do it with The Lunar chronicles' characters. I have like a hundred prompts, so this is going to be a very large story. However, they are not in chronological order, nor they have to have any type of connection between them, if that makes sense to you guys.**

 **I hope you like them!**

That dawn, Ze'ev didn't feel anyone beside him, like every morning; he was all alone in the big bed, covered in black sheets and a white duvet. It was a very cold winter, that year, and he usually like Scarlet's body heat. But that morning she wasn't there.

And he kind of panicked.

It had been a really bad week for the two of them, especially for her. And he didn't know how to comfort her, how to calm her, how to be a good husband in rough times. Ze'ev tried, though; he tried to fetch her a blanket when he saw her cold, he tried to kiss her in the right moment, he tried to be quiet when the time required it.

But maybe it hadn't been enough; maybe Scarlet had realised how damned she would be if she stayed with him. She could have realised that she deserved better than a man who was part wolf that couldn't even bite her lips a little bit while kissing because he would make them bleed.

Because there where _thousands_ of pretty, _normal_ boys out there who wanted her desperately— and who could blame them, truly.

Ze'ev sat straight, closing his eyes, because it all might be a bad dream, a really awful nightmare. When he opened them again, she was still not there; he felt tears in the corner of his eyes, but he wasn't crying. He wasn't crying.

When he went to the living room, he found her there, sleeping on the sofa, covered only by a really thin sheet.

Taking off his shoes, so he wouldn't make any noise, he fetched the duvet from their bed and covered Scarlet with it, a wave of relieve crushing him. She hadn't abandoned him, after all. _How_ could he have thought _that?_

"Ze'ev?" Scarlet murmured, and the noted how painful her voice was; something was wrong with her. Why would she sleep on the sofa, having a big, warm bed?

He faced her, sitting on his knees so he could see her better. He upped her cheek, forced a smile, and that was when he saw her puffy, red eyes. She let out a sob. "I am sorry," she cried. "This is my fault. This is _my_ fault. _I'm so sorry_."

He stared at her, blankly, until he realised what she was talking about. He muttered, "Oh," and tried to think what to say because there was really nothing he could say to comfort her, not when she was so sad. So destroyed. _He_ has destroyed. "It was not your fault," he only managed to say.

He searched for her hand under the sheet and entwined his fingers with hers, attempting to comfort her. But he wasn't good with words, and Scarlet _needed_ words. A tear streamed down her face, and he wiped it away.

"I am the only one who can't have one," she muttered, her voice unsteady. Ze'ev hold her hand tighter. "Cinder has two. Winter has just had one. Cress has _three_ , and Thorne commed me and said they want another child. And I am the broken one who can't even have _one_."

Now he felt worst, because she thought it was her _fault_ , and that was _ridiculous_. "Scarlet, love, listen to me," he said, strong. Her eyes reflected his own. "The babies we lost were not lost because of you, okay? They weren't lost because of you. You didn't have anything, _anything,_ to do with it. So don't blame yourself."

"We can try again," Scarlet said, and she sounded as hopeful as a child asking for a sweet.

This time, he was sure what his answer would be. "Oh, we can't. I'm not putting you in more danger, love."

He bowed a little and hugged her, then felt his shoulder wet with her tears.

Ze'ev closed his eyes and saw the first time she started to bleed, after two months of pregnancy; he had been so scared of losing her, so scared she would not exit that hospital room _alive_. The second time, after three months of pregnancy, when the doctor said they could try only one more time, he had been reluctant. But Scarlet had insisted, because he wanted to be like the other girls, with all that children running around their legs, calling them 'Mommy'. She got pregnant one more time, and they never told anyone, just in case. Six months passed, and everything was okay, and they started preparing a little room for the baby, and she started bleeding, _one more time._

"We can adopt, then," she mumbled, then broke the embrace. They looked at each other for a while and Ze'ev finally kissed her on the mouth, Scarlet cupping his face with her hands.

He felt her small, beautiful smile against his lips, and that made him a really happy man.

"Of course we can," he agreed.


	2. I think I'm in love with her

**2\. I think I'm in love with her, and that scares the** ** _hell_** **out of me.**

That night, Thorne was unsleeping. He was tired, though, but he simply couldn't close his eyes because sleep wouldn't come. They were in Mara Kesley's house, and while the woman slept in her bedroom and Scarlet and Wolf in his and Iko and the princess in Ran's, Cinder and Thorne had to rest in the small living room. She had chosen the couch before he had even _saw_ it. So now he slept on the _floor._ A Captain like him resting on the floor, what a _shame._

Anyway, the dourness of the floor wasn't what kept him awake, but the worry. He was worried about Cress.

How on Earth could they have left her? Thorne better that anyone knew she was a small human being, but _come on._ When he thought about her, probably all scared and thinking that they had forgotten about her—that _Thorne_ had forgotten about her—he felt sick to his stomach.

He knew they had a very important mission, but she had led him through the desert, she had helped them when they kidnappedthe prince, she had been there _all the time._ They were all jerks for leaving her behind.

But then he thought that she might had been captured— or even worse, and Thorne only wanted to shut his eyes and sleep so he could forget about everything.

He felt so useless! There had to be something he could do— whatever.

Someone snored so hard he forgot what he was complaining about in his head for a second.

"Geez," muttered Cinder, and Thorne tilted his head so he could see her. "Someone has strong lungs."

Thorne smirked and rolled his eyes, realising it was very late indeed. "Cinder, what are you doing awake? You've a revolution to start, you've to rest."

"Shut up, you're part of the revolution, too."

"Yeah, so was Cress."

When realised what he had just said, it was too late; Cinder had already heard it. With the poor light he couldn't see her face at all, but he heard how unsteady her breath had turned. He wanted to say sorry, but he said instead, "Are you going to cry?

"I can't cry," she practically spitted the words at him.

Thorne knew he probably was being mean—he _really_ was being mean—, since Cinder was trying to save both Luna and Earth, which included him, and he knew she had a lot behind her heels, he _knew._ But if Cress was dead, which, based on what Wolf had said, was very possible, Thorne didn't think he could forget Cinder, even though she was his best friend now. He didn't want to imagine Cress's little body on the floor covered in wounds, in blood.

He shook his head.

She was still alive, he _knew_ that, too.

Thorne hesitated before he said, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be so… mean." It was not really the truth, but she didn't know that… only she did. She _did_ have a lie detector in her head. "Okay, maybe I meant it, but I didn't want to hurt you."

 _That_ w _as true._

Cinder didn't say anything, only moved so now she was lying on her side, looking at him in the dark. Or maybe she was sleeping now, how knew.

He kept talking, anyway. "It's just I… okay. IdonotwanttoloseCress," he said it so quickly he almost choked with his own saliva. That was not proper for a Captain like him; he coughed and, noticing Cinder's giggles, muttered, this time slowly, "It's just… I think I am in love with her, and that scares the _hell_ out of me. I've never been in love before with anyone, Cinder.

She stopped giggling and Thorne heard the couch creaking. Maybe he had scared her… somehow. Her footsteps ricocheted all over the living room and she finally stopped, right beside him. She lied down, next to him, and rested her head in his chest.

It was a little weird, given that she was Kai's girlfriend and Thorne was— _never mind_. But even if she wasn't crying he felt her cheeks burning hot through his shirt, and her hand was shaking. She mumbled, "I am sorry I left her. I'm sure she'll be fine, though. That girl is invincible." She paused and then sighed. "I never thought the marvellous Captain Carswell Thorne would be in love!"

He envied her; how could she be so sad one moment and so cheerful the other?

"You just said I'm marvellous," he grinned.

"Oh, shut up. _I_ am the marvellous one. I just didn't want you to feel bad."

Thorne laughed, and Cinder put a hand over his mouth. "You're going to wake everyone up! Shh!" But she was laughing too.

That night, the revolution didn't really mattered to them.


	3. I almost lost you

**3\. I almost lost you.**

When Cinder woke up, she felt her tongue sour. It felt like the painkillers the doctor from Luna had obliged her to shallow without water. Her head hurt and her vision was blurred.

"Hello, Miss Linh," said a male voice just as a man appeared in front of her. She thought he was going to kiss her because of some strange reason, since his mouth was so close to hers. Then he put a lantern in front of her eyes, flashing her. She shut them. "Open your eyes, please. I have to check if everything is all right."

She slowly opened them, letting the man point the lantern toward them; Cinder could barely keep them open, since the light was very strong, but she could see a white lab coat, so he maybe was a doctor. When he put the lantern away, Cinder realised that he was Doctor Payne, or something like that; he was her private doctor.

But he seemed really tall, so maybe she was medicated.

"You are okay. We've put a liquid in your eyes, so they wouldn't become infected. It's normal if your vision is a little blurred..." He pull out a paper from his coat's pocket and unbended it. Doctor Payne read it, smiled, and continued. "You had some burned, but a Lyssa"—her personal mechanic—"fixed them. You can go home when your vision clears, approximately in two hours." He bent the paper again, still smiling. "I'm glad you are okay, Miss Linh, but I have other patients, so if you ex—"

Cinder smirked. "You only want to go home."

Doctor Payne laughed and bowed before he went out, leaving her alone and more confused than she was when she woke up. Where was she? In a hospital? But, more important… _why_? The doctor had said something about her eyes being infected and some burned wires, and that two symptoms were _not_ related. Maybe her wires had overheated and she had fallen, hurting her eyeballs.

When she was about to shout for someone to come and tell her what was going on, Kai entered the room, panting, and practically jumped over the bed. "Oh my Stars, you are okay," he said, his cheeks red. He caught Cinder's hand between his and held it very tightly; it was the metallic hand, so holding with that much force should hurt. Kai didn't say a word about it, though.

"What happened?"

Kai opened his mouth, forming a perfect O. She feared he would break his jaw, but he closed it just before she could say anything. Kai cupped her cheek, staring at her for _centuries,_ and finally asked, "You don't remember anything at all?

Cinder loved him very much, but sometimes—like in that precisely moment—she wanted to punch him in the face for not telling her what she wanted to hear. She had just asked what happened, _of course_ she didn't remember anything!

Instead of saying that, she only shook her head.

"You were fixing an android, I think, in your garage with Iko. You fell when you had something in your hands and it fall all over your head."

 _Oh,_ she now remembered it. She was talking with Iko about having kids with Kai, because she truly felt ready, when Iko screamed, enthusiastic, _oh my goodness I'm going to be aunt!_ and Cinder tripped over with a very hot cup of oil in her hands.

It was a miracle that she still had a _face._ Not to mention the eyes.

Her vision began to clear, just a little, and she could see how worried Kai seemed. She held his hands, too, trying to calm him. "I'm perfect, sweetheart."

Kai seemed to relax a little bit, but Cinder was perfectly aware of his furrowed frown and the way he was holding her, like she was passing out again if he lost his grip on her.

Her heart melted.

"I almost lost you," he muttered, rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb. Cinder really liked it when he did it, because she felt like she was home. Maybe her mother did that when she was a baby.

Or maybe she felt home because it was _Kai_ who did it.

"You aren't losing me," she said, trying to look casual. She smirked. "Levana stabbed me in the heart, and I survived. I'm invincible. I'm not getting away from you just because a bottle of oil fell all over me, silly."

He kissed her cheek. "Oh, you are _not._ Make me some space, you weirdo."

Cinder moved a little and this time Kai did jump on the bed, making it creak. It was supposed for one person, not two. They both laughed and then Cinder kissed him on the mouth, tasting chocolate.

"You ate chocolate without me?" She asked, pretending to be hurt; they ate and drank chocolate _every time_ in the palace. "Shame on you!"

Kai laughed, then laughed some more, and finally put his palm below his collarbone, closed his eyes, pretending, too, to be hurt. She muffled a shout of laugher. "I thought you had a better image of me, sheesh. But given this, I think I should keep this for later."

He opened the drawer of the nightstand beside the bed and pulled out a small, heart-shaped box of her very favourite chocolates. She used to buy them in the market when she was only a mechanic, because the original version of them was so expensive, but now that she was the empress… well, she could aloud her a pleasure once or twice a month.

She pouted at Kai, "I love you so very, very much?"

He giggled and pressed a kiss to her temple. "Tell me something I don't know."


	4. Do you trust me?

**4\. Do you trust me?**

That night, the Rampion was quieter than it normally was; they were supposed to land in Spain so they could spread the letumosis cure there, but an electric storm made them change plans. So now they were in the space, everything very quiet… until a laugh fused with the air.

Cress moved both of her hands and then put them over her mouth, so she would not wake Wold and Scarlet, who were sleeping beside Thorne's compartment. She didn't want to get caught, either because it had only been two months since they parted from Luna. She would go back to her compartment later, but still.

Anyway, they were lying in bed together, Thorne with one arm behind Cress's neck, their legs are curled up. The hair on his tickled hers, but now she was laughing because of a joke he had just told her.

"You're such a _jerk,"_ she said, still giggling. She was sure that Scarlet would knock on the door at any moment, and that Cress was going to freak out and that Thorne was going to be all charisma and tell her _we're dating, Cress, so there's nothing wrong about you being in my bed,_ and then she would probably flush and go to her room, all embarrassed because of everything.

 _Not_ that it had happened, though…

"You said that five minutes ago," Thorne smirked, jerking her away from her mind.

She pinched his bare stomach with her finger—Cress still couldn't believe that that handsome man lied beside her without a shirt _every night_ because he _wanted to_ —and stuck her tongue at him. "That's because you are a _big_ jerk."

Thorne moved so he would lie on his side, and then kissed Cress's bare shoulder, since her shirt didn't have any sleeves. A smile was beginning to form in her lips when he licked her flesh. She let out a scream and he burst out of laugh. _Now_ Scarlet was definitely going to interrupt then, but now she didn't care, not even a little.

He thought it was very funny, though. " _You_ are such a drama queen! When we kiss I always lick you!" He hugged her against her will, and when Cress thought he was going to kiss her, he started to pass his tongue all over her face. Cress tried to get away, but it was _impossible._

When she turned around, _ages_ later, her face covered with his saliva, so she licked his face, too, and they were both laughing now, and they ended up with Thorne on the floor, his hands on her hips, and Cress lying just above him, her hands on his chest. She smiled and then kissed him.

She was a clever girl, she knew that they were in a dangerous position and that Thorne probably had been in that position with hundreds of women before her and that he had _definitely_ done something he _definitely_ wasn't doing with her that night, but she pushed that thoughts aside and tried to enjoy that moment, because he was now _her_ boyfriend.

She smiled against his mouth and Thorne pulled her closer. She moved one hand so now it was in his hair, still wet. He _oomphed_ when Cress bent a little her knees and she heard a moan, although she didn't know who it belonged to.

Then he grabbed the hem of her shirt, and Cress knew he would try to remove it, so she broke the kiss and looked at his eyes. Thorne was smirking, his eyes full with luxury. "Hi there," he said.

"Hello," answered Cress, like if she had just seen him.

"Do you trust me?"

The question caught her off guard, because she had been waiting for a confession of love or something like that after the _most_ intimate kiss of her life. She sat, Thorne rubbing her thighs, which was extremely weird, yet lovely. She tilted her head and raised her eyebrows. Then, slowly, nodded.

"Good," Thorne sat, too, kissed her and then lifted her, her legs around his waist. She _oohed_ when he let her in the bed. "Because I am going to turn off the lights and you are going to close your eyes."

Well, _that_ was weird. She trust Thorne; she had crossed a desert with him, Stars. But that was rare.

She did it, anyway.

Cress heard the _click_ of the switch, and then she supposed everything went black.

She was sitting cross-legged, so she panicked a little when Thorne's hand touched her right leg and put it straight, then the other. She knew that her breath was unsteady, but she couldn't help it. "It's okay," he murmured, probably noticing her shaking limbs.

His hands flew and now they were in her shoulders obliging her to lye down. She did. The mattress sank beside her, so he was there, too.

This time, Thorne _did_ kiss her shoulder, then her neck, then her cheek, then her lips. The kisses weren't fierce, like before, but gentle. Cress didn't dare to move. He cupped her face with one hand, stroked her hair with the other.

She was butter, and he was melting her, slowly.

He separated and entwined his fingers with hers. "Open your eyes," he whispered.

Cress gasped.

The ceiling was covered with small stars, and planets, and comets and spaceships. They all glittered with a yellowish light and it was so _beautiful._ Someone had put them there, Cress realised, and she immediately looked at Thorne. He had a very big smile on his face, showing his teeth, proud,

"Do you like it?"

"Are you _joking?_ This is the best thing someone had done for me. It's... it's..." she closed her eyes, trying to find the word, but nothing could describe that. "I love it, Thorne."

She found him blushing, which was the _cutest_ thing ever, since she hadn't seen him blush... never.

Cress kissed him.

"You're welcome," he said between kiss and kiss, Cress giggling.

That night, they didn't sleep at all, talking all night, laughing and staring at their small sky and licking each other like the idiots they really were. Cress went back to her room just before the others got up. She hadn't had more fun in all her life.

When neither Thorne nor she appeared for breakfast, Scarlet only smirked and let them sleep.


	5. Please don't do this

**5\. Please don't do this.**

At that point in his life, Jacin had learnt that Winter was a lovely, crazy human being. She was so sweet sometimes he wanted to kiss her endlessly, but when she acted weird, she was literally the _weirdest_ person on both Luna and Earth— not that he didn't want to kiss her when she was weird, because he also _wanted._

For example, once they were crossing a bridge, and Winter had say, "Look, Jacin, the water is so _beautiful,"_ and, then, she had thrown herself into the river, clothes included.

Jacin had to fish her, which was pretty funny, since he ended up in the water, too.

Nevertheless, he loved her so much, of course. But when they visited Scarlet and Wolf in the farm, he regretted that decision. Because a) they smelled always of manure, b) Winter was always everywhere, which was entertaining, but tiring, c) they had to get up _really_ early, and Jacin liked talking with Winter before getting up, so with that rule, they had no time for chatting.

And, well. Winter wanted to milk a cow.

She had wanted to milk a cow since the wedding, two years ago, and considering her persistence, Jacin knew they weren't leaving that farm without her milking that animal. _Stars,_ what was so fun about it? You just had to pull a nipple. Whoa, _impressive_.

"Morning, pumpkin," he heard, and dared to open one eye. While Winter was already sat, his face was still against the pillow, his body covered only by his boxers, since the girl had decided to take away the sheets. He sighed. _No talking today,_ he thought, closing his eyelid again. "Hey, I know you are awake now, you can't fake being asleep."

The mattress sank when she bent. "I'm asleep," he mumbled.

"You are?" She asked, playfully. "Well, then. You would not feel this, I guess, if you are sleeping."

Jacin was already opening his eyes so he would see was she was going to do, but Winter began tickling his neck before he could react. Soon he was a hysterical mess and she was now sat atop him, her hands everywhere, and his lungs burning because of laugher.

Winter was laughing, too, so he took advantage of it and, when she had her eyes closed, he hold her hands, and turned roles, so he was up now and she was under. She gasped, then giggled, and he bent. Her hair was ticking his nose, but he kept only a smile. "Now I'm awake," he muttered before he pecked her lips.

She touched his nose with a finger and pointed the window. It was still dark outside, which surprised Jacin, because they always slept until nine o'clock, when the sun was beaming at them through the glass. He looked back at her, her face covered with a mischievous grin. That was not good. He _knew_ that grin.

"I love you so much," Winter whispered.

"So?" Jacin whispered back.

"I want to milk a cow."

"And?"

"I asked Scarlet if I could."

" _And?"_

"She said yes," she almost beamed, and Jacin couldn't keep himself from closing his eyes and sigh, because of course she wanted to milk a cow. "Wolf do it every morning, so he said that, if I wanted to, I could do it today. That's why it is so early."

"Please don't do this."

Winter laughed in response. After a few _it will be fun!_ and more _you have to get lose!_ they dressed— well, _he_ dressed, since she was already done, and headed towards the barn they kept the animals in. Winter told him that there were four cows, so they could share. Jacin tried to persuade her of the idea of _him_ milking a cow—he made a bouquet one time, he had had enough experiences in that farm already—but she didn't stop whispering he should be more enthusiastic.

She was enthusiastic enough for both of them.

So he did end up milking a cow beside his girlfriend, who was giggling like a psychopath.

He didn't like milking the cow, since the animal kicked his bucket twice, making all the milk he had acquired fall.

But Winter didn't stop laughing and smiling and recollecting milk from that silly animal, and that was enough for him.


	6. Marry me

**Before you read this chapter, I wanted you all to know how happy I am! Your reviews always made my day, I swear, you're the best. Ev** ** _ery single one of you._** **Thank you, since without you, this story wouldn't be even a thing!**

 **6\. Marry me.**

The night Scarlet and Wolf married, Thorne and the rest of the crew seemed like crazy monkeys; they were all hands and legs and arms and smiles and shouts, and Thorne couldn't recall a time in which he had more fun. Geez, if he was having fun. First of all, he could see that girl, Émilie, moving her hips like a ballerina—which was pretty amazing— and secondly, he could see _Cress_ dancing like a madwoman. She never wanted to dance with him in the Rampion, because _I don't know how to dance._ Well, if she didn't know how to dance, he didn't know how to pilot.

(Cinder always said so, but whatever.)

When a slow song came in, Thorne saw Cress stop dancing and heard her saying Cinder she wanted a glass of water. And he immediately followed her, because there was _no_ water and she knew it, since it was her idea so everyone would be drunk and acting crazy by midnight.

(He didn't know if it was a good idea, but he liked drinking alcohol, so.)

Cress was sitting on the stairs, smiling, her face bright red; he didn't know if it was because of the alcohol or because of the dancing. When she saw him, she got up and smoothed her dress. She was obviously nervous.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, bringing himself to the wall.

"I don't know how to dance." Thorne looked at her intensely, and she finally sighed. "A slow dance. I don't know to dance a slow song."

"Come here," he murmured, and took her hands. He put them around his neck, and then put his own around her waist. "You can place your feet on mine, so you are more comfortable."

She did it, her bare feet touching his shoes, and she was so light Thorne almost didn't feel her weight. He rested his chin in her hair, and waited until a new song started. And he danced, slowly, pressed against her small body; they had never danced a slow song, and Thorne wondered _why._

He closed his eyes and tried not to think, but it was impossible. He found himself thinking about all the nights he had passed with that gorgeous girl, the nights when she cried because of her parents, the nights _he_ cried because of nightmares. He thought about the night where he saw _all_ of her for the first time, the night where the scar on her belly pressed against his stomach. All those nights they had passed together and all those nights they would pass together.

He felt it when Cress's cheek touched his collarbone, when her hand tangled in his hair. He had taught girls how to dance before, but it had never been like this, they had never been like _Cress._

Two years has passed since they started dating, and he loved her the same, _more._ It was _amazing_ the effect she had in Thorne, and he knew Cress did whatever she did without even noticing she was doing it. She may not have the Lunar gift, bit she _had_ a gift. He was full of _love._

He pressed his cheek against her temple. "Marry me," he muttered.

Cress jumped and fell and sat again on the stairs, and Thorne looked at her with wide eyes. _Shit,_ he had screwed it. Maybe Cress didn't love him as much as he did. Maybe she had realised he was not enough for her, that she could find another man. A better one.

He gulped, but didn't say anything. He didn't _dare_ saying anything.

Cress was still looking at her, with a panic frown. _Stars above, help me._

"You want to marry _me?"_

The tone in her voice almost made him laugh. Sceptical. And he had known her for a long time now, Thorne perfectly knew that she didn't believe he was asking her to marry him. Although they had been together for so long, she still didn't believe he _wanted_ her and only her.

Thorne didn't know how that made him feel.

"Yeah," he whispering, lowering his head. "Of course I want to marry _you._ I love you."

Well, he knew. Hurt.

Cress clicked her tongue and got up, approaching him; with a hand, she cupped his cheek, and Thorne leaned over it, closed his eyes. He didn't want to feel hurt because of Cress, that sweet, cute, strong girl he loved so much; he was aware she hadn't pretended it, that Cress would never pretend to hurt him, but… he told himself not to be silly.

"I know you love me," she murmured, her voice soft, brushing her fingers through his forehead, setting aside strands of his hair, a gesture he had grown fond of. "But no, I won't marry you."

Touched.

 _Auch._

He didn't open his eyes since, if he did so, she was sure seeing how broken he was right now.

"Not because I don't want to," she continued, "because I do want to. Of course I want to marry you, but not yet. I'm only eighteen, and that's a little soon. Let's live before. Travel some more. _Then_ we'll marry."

He— Thorne hadn't thought about it. He was twenty-two, he had been wondering about marriage with Cress for a very long time, although no one would believe him; he was still Carswell Thorne, yeah, but he had changed. A little.

He felt like a whole different person.

When his eyes opened, Cress beamed. "I love you too, by the way."

Now Thorne smirked and, pulling her closer, his hands flew to her hips, her belly against his, her arms around his neck. He kissed her forehead and her lips and her neck. Stars, he did really love her like he hadn't loved anyone in all his life.

He could wait a few years more.


	7. You're amazing

**7\. You're amazing.**

Cress was ecstatic.

She had been travelling with Thorne for a really, _really,_ long time now; she had seen the highest mountains, the deepest lagoons, the longest rivers; eaten the spiciest, tastiest foods. They had flown over every country, every sea.

But what she was seeing now— Cress didn't have the words.

She stared at Jacin, who was as astonished as her, and Winter, who was smiling from ear to ear. Thorne was simply there, smirking, looking at them super proud of himself. His shirt was long lost, and although Cress couldn't believe it, she preferred to look at the landscape more than she wanted to look at his abs.

She was finally there.

On a _beach_.

Suddenly, Winter let out a squeak and started running forward, to the shore, while Jacin laughed—surprisingly, since he wasn't a _happy_ guy—and followed her, both of them beaming. Cress lost them when they touched the sea.

On the other side, she couldn't even breathe, because maybe, if she did so, she would wake up, everything she was seeing disappearing into a dream. Thorne nudged her, and she managed, somehow, to turn around, look at him; he caught a strand of her hair between his fingers and pull, playfully. Cress opened her mouth, closed it, opened it, closed it again; she didn't know what to say.

 _Speechless._

It was sunny and there were lots of people and the warm sand beneath her feet and all those children jumping over the waves and the loud laugh of Winter and the girls sunbathing and the boys reading with the shade of enormous parasols. She saw a man with bronze skin with a girl with curls and chocolate flesh over his shoulder, and she couldn't help but smile because of her friends.

"I'm starting to think you're going comatose," Thorne murmured, brushing his thumb against the side of her face. Cress bit her lips and, suddenly, jumped. He laughed, and Cress hugged him tightly, smelling the scent of his cologne. "Is that a heart attack?"

"Maybe," she heard herself saying, but couldn't quite place it. "It' beautiful and… and…"

"You know? I kind of missed the beautiful thing. Remember? When you saw the sky and that animal and—"

"I remember," Cress interrupted. Because she did; when they were lost in the desert and he couldn't see and she had been kidnapped and he had won and scort-droid. She remembered every detail of those days, and how she always described everything as beautiful.

She still did.

"But I don't know how to swim."

Thorne laughed, and it irritated Cress a little; she broke the embrace and lifted her head, fixing her eyes on his, bright blue, as always. She couldn't blame him, since he didn't think before spoke most of the time. _Ugh_. Looking away, Cress took off her shorts and her t-shirt, her pink bikini showing, the scar Thorne had made while stabbing her, too.

Cress heard him gulping, then kissed his cheek. "I can teach you, anyway," he proposed, and her smile brightened.

"But—"

Without realising what was happening, Thorne spurred his arms around her torso and lifted her, placing Cress on his shoulder, just like Jacin had done with Winter. She screamed, people staring, though Thorne didn't seem to care; she punched him endlessly on the back, on the shoulders, but he was made of stone.

And suddenly, she was wet with salty water, screaming now because of how cold it was, trying to escape while Thorne walked—or swam, she didn't know—forward, sinking, sinking. Soon, her entire body was underwater, only her head on the surface.

When Thorne let go of her, she didn't dare move, since she would sink. " _Thorne_ ," she said, but her voice didn't quite sound as fierce as she wanted it to.

"You're amazing," he purred, kissing her tight, which was beside his mouth. Goose bumps erupted in her arms, but Cress didn't know if it was because of the cold sea water or because the kiss.

Probably because the water.

Placing his hands on her hips, Thorne lifted her, all his body underwater, and Cress squeaked. His head was there again in no time, nonetheless, looking at her, since he was hugging her now. Cress embraced him like her life depended on it because, well. It actually did.

"You are an idiot."

He kissed her in response.


	8. Don't lie to me

**This chapter is dedicated to the lovely** ** _LunarShell14_** ** _!_**

 **8\. Don't lie to me.**

When Scarlet came home from school that evening, she didn't even say hello to _grand-mère_ ; instead, she ran upstairs to her room, left the school-bag on the floor, threw herself on the bed and started crying.

She tried not to be so loud, since her grandmother would hear her and come and ask what was wrong with her, and Scarlet just wanted to be alone for a few hours, maybe some days, and only cry, cry, cry. She felt her cheeks burning hot and wet at the same time, her tears falling through them to the pillow.

Scarlet couldn't wait to turn eighteen, to stop going that horrible school with all those horrible boys and girls and teachers and— and—

She only wanted it to stop.

 _Why can't I be like the other girls?_

That question crossed her mind every single day, when she saw them, with their pretty faces with all that makeup and their cute coats and shoes and their perfectly tied hairs and their perfect dads and moms hugging them when they came home after school, every day, every time.

Scarlet just wanted to be like them, to have as many friends as them. But she didn't know a thing about makeup and she didn't have beautiful clothes or a malleable hair; she didn't even have a father that loved her anymore. She wasn't sure he had ever loved her, but now he didn't call, now he forgot her birthdays, now he forgot _her_.

Sniffing, she turned around, looked at the ceiling, and sobbed some more; if she only had friends to defend her, to say they loved her, to be there when she needed them… maybe if she had friends she would be a little more like the girls at school, but not even that.

Then she grunted and went to the bathroom to wash her face, but she started crying midway, as an idea formed in her mind: if she was sixteen years old and she was already alone, how would she be when she was eighteen? Or thirty? What if she was dying and she didn't have anyone to be with her?

What if no one would ever like her, not even a little?

Scarlet looked at her reflection in the mirror, her eyes puffy and red, her curly, scarlet hair covering parts of her face, messy; her clothes were dirty, since she had fallen while running home. Her knees hurt, so she may have some scratches, maybe bruises. She took off her jacket and sniffed; they didn't like her because of _that_ , too.

She was not as skinny as the other girls, and they liked to remind it to Scarlet nonstop. How her hips were giant. How her thigh touched the other while she walked, how her legs were too big, too fat. They laughed every time Scarlet decided to try girded shirts, since they 'made her torso look even worst'.

Stumbling, she sat on the edge of the bed and covered her face with both of her hands, muffling the sobs so _grand-mère_ wouldn't hear her.

She only wanted to change her life, to have a better one, to be happy for once. _Just for once._

And then, pressing her face against the pillow, she screamed. With all the force in her lungs, Scarlet screamed, angry, sad, broken. She didn't deserve that, not anymore. She wasn't different, she was just a girl.

"I didn't deserve this," she muttered to herself before breaking into sobs again.

A knock on the door. "Scarlet? Are you okay?"

If she showed her gun to all the people that had laughed at her clothes, at her body, at _her_ , they would let her be, for sure. But then she would be more alone than ever, and she just wanted a friend. Only one, _only one._

She wiped the tears away, furiously rubbing her fists against her cheeks, eyes, trying to calm down before _grand-mère_ entered, before she realised something was wrong.

 _Only two more years, and I'll be completely free._

"I'm fine," she said, forcing a smile, when _grand-mère_ entered, took a sit beside Scarlet, brushed the side of her hand against her cheek. Scarlet bit her lips so she wouldn't cry again, although it wasn't working too well. "I was just—"

"Don't lie to me, Scarlet," she said, her soft voice echoing through the room.

Scarlet hugged her and started sobbing again, and again, and again. _Grand-mère_ rested her head on Scarlet's, hugging her back.

She had a friend, after all.


	9. You want to do what?

**9\. You want to do** ** _what_** **?**

Cinder was exhausted.

She hadn't been that tired since she had killed Levana, and it'd been twenty years ago, which seemed now like an entire lifetime; in those years she had had the most happy, sad, funny and weird moments of her life, and she was very glad she had made it until then.

But now she wasn't going to think about all those years.

The only thing Cinder wanted to do was sleep and never wake up again.

And it was that she had been talking to the press and the paparazzi and other political leaders every day, everyone asking questions nonstop, taking photos of her, babbling about how wonderful it must be being Empress for twenty years now, and how proud Kai should be.

Well, he could be proud closer, since he was now on France because of some political stuff she hadn't wanted to hear; she already had a lot of Lunar-Earthen business going on. Oh, and now she had to look for schools, too, since Zoë had started a big fight on her last because of a toy, and they had expelled her; the teachers hadn't even cared that her parents ruled the country, since Zoë had broken another child's nose.

She was six years old.

But it wasn't time to think about that, either. When she reached her room and saw one maid whose name she didn't remember, Cinder thanked her silently for taking care of Zoë and closed the door, jumping into the bed and shutting her eyelids.

"You can't sleep with you formal clothes on, silly," Kai's voice sounded in her head, and Cinder cursed under her breath and, using all her willpower, got up.

Quickly, she kicked off her shoes, and got off her stupid dress only to put on the first shirt she found in the closet, which resulted to be one of Kai's; it still smelled like his—and hers, to be honest—favourite cologne. Cinder giggled like a teenager and jumped on the bed again, this time covering herself with the sheets and the duvet.

She loved that duvet.

And she was falling asleep when someone opened the doors, light sinking into the room. Cinder was ready to start shouting at whoever it was, because she was just so exhausted, when she saw a little figure with messy, black hair entering.

"What are you doing awake so late?" She asked, but her voice had changed and now was sweet but motherly at the same time, a voice that had taken years to perfect. The little girl smiled and ran until she was just beside the bed, looking at Cinder with wide, bright brown eyes.

"I was waiting for you, I wanted to tell you what I did today," Zoë said, resting her elbows on the mattress, cupping her face; she had a scratch on her cheek, and Cinder could have sworn it wasn't there that morning.

She had passed the day with Thorne and Cress, which was, honestly, worrying; Cress was the sweetest person with children, and she had said she would take care of Zoë whenever she and Thorne were in the Commonwealth so she could practise, since they were waiting for a baby now. But Thorne was… well, he was the funny uncle every parent was scared of. He was capable of dyeing Zoë's hair if she asked for it.

He wasn't really her uncle, though.

Shaking slightly her head, Cinder smiled and place a stroke of her daughter's hair behind her ear. "What did you do?"

"You wouldn't believe me!" She screamed, excited.

"Let's see."

"Uncle Thorne—"

"He's not your uncle, Zoë," Cinder interrupted, although she already knew the answer.

"But he wants me to call him that. He said that I should call Cress aunt, too."

Cinder ticked her neck, making the child giggle, her two front teeth gone, and said, "Thorne rarely knows what he's saying."

"Okay, so today uncl— Thorne let me pilot his spaceship!"

She kept talking, but Cinder was too busy imagining a thousand different ways of killing his now-not-so-beloved best friend; she didn't care if they had just flown a few inches of the floor, how could have he let a child _pilot_ a _spaceship?_ She was aware that he wasn't a very sane person, but that was unbelievable.

Cinder was really going to kill him. It would be slow and—

"Mommy, are you listening?" Zoë shook her arm, and Cinder stopped thinking about murder. She was about to ask for an explanation, but decided it would be best to ask _Thorne_. He was the adult there. Sort of.

"Yes, yes, sorry. What else did you do?"

"We painted Aunt Cress's belly, so it looked like a really big pumpkin. Oh! She asked me what I wanted to be when I grow up, and I didn't know. But now I know!"

"Really? What do you want to be?" She hoped Zoë wanted to be an Empress, because if she didn't, Kai was going to freak out. Like, big time.

"I want to be a pilot! Like Uncle Thorne!"

"You want to do _what_?"

"Look, look what he gave me!" She put her hand in the pocket of her pants and took out a tie tack with the form of a 214 Rampion, Class 11.3, the same as the one Thorne had. Cinder didn't recall it, so it must be new, or maybe he had kept it from a long time and decided to give it to Zoë; she didn't really knew, but appreciated the gesture, although she didn't want her daughter to be obsessed with space.

She had punched a boy at the age of six, she couldn't even imagine what she would do at eighteen.

So she patted the mattress, and Zoë left the tie tack on the nightstand and climbed into the bed, Cinder covering her with the sheets and pulling her closer, the child making strangled noises, but letting her mother be.

After kissing her temple multiple times, Cinder murmured, "We'll see when it's time. _Now_ it's time to sleep, bug."

"Don't call me that!" Zoë said, but she was giggling again.

Cinder might not have Kai beside her, but she had someone even better.

* * *

Thanks to _ **lunarchroniclesandcockatiels**_ for being an amazing beta and thank you for reading! Reviews are always appreciated!


	10. You like me?

**10\. You like me?**

Winter loved the Earth; she loved it more than she loved anything, anyone. She had been doing ambassadorial things for nine months now, but she was still amazed by that living planet.

The stars seemed so different from here, and while on Luna they breathed fake air, here she could feel her lungs filling themselves with pure oxygen. While on Luna they didn't have seasons, here on Earth she had felt the cold breeze of winter, the warm, spring sun beaming on her skin, the brown, yellow, red leaves brushing her skin as they fell from the trees.

When she wasn't on duty, she would go to the beach, to the forest, to wherever she could. Jacin would go with her, and together they would discover things that neither of them had seen before, like ants on the trees, squirrels collecting food, birds singing songs no one could reproduce.

It was all so beautiful, so perfect, she wanted to go to every single corner of that planet. From the coldest, to the hottest.

But sometimes, her hotel room was so much better than the most gorgeous park, because Jacin was there, with her. And maybe, she loved him more than she loved the Earth.

She would see him while he was asleep—although Scarlet said that was creepy—and trace the path from his forehead to his jaw, brushing gently his hair, staring at his chest, falling and raising and falling. They would rest on the bed for a while without talking, holding each other hands, or talk about everything or anything. Sometimes, they kissed until one of them fell asleep.

But there were times when Jacin was gone, and Winter would think about her life, how much it had changed in nine months.

She wasn't a pawn anymore, she didn't live afraid anymore. Now she could stare at herself in every mirror and scream of happiness and be with the man she loved without fearing his death. She could wear whatever she wanted and go wherever she wished. She could be whoever she wanted to.

But the thing she liked the most was that she could live without fear.

"I like you," she muttered, Jacin opening his eyes, a sleepy smile forming on his lips. He was lying beside her, and she had thought he was asleep. He searched for her hand, and Winter placed it over his, entwining their fingers.

Jacin kissed her knuckles, and she giggled.

"You like me?" he whispered, his voice muffled against the pillow.

"So very much."

"How much?"

Resting her head on the pillow, too, Winter lied beside him, her curls tickling his nose. Gently, she pushed them away and kissed him on the lips.

Even though nine months had passed, Winter still felt dizzy with every kiss he gave her; they were like… happiness. Every kiss, every touch was like a shot of happiness. She was very glad that he wanted to give them to her, and only to her. And she was happy to reciprocate.

Their lips separated, and he cupped her cheek with his hand, deposited a kiss on her nose.

He was definitely going to kill her, sooner or later. She was sure.

"I love you, Winter," he said, and she felt her heart melt. How could she have lived sixteen years without him saying those words, without him touching her skin, without him at all?

They wouldn't separate again.

* * *

Thanks to ** _lunarchroniclesandcockatiels_** for being an amazing beta and thank you for reading! Reviews are always appreciated! Oh, and I wanted to tell you guys that I just started school, so I'm not going to be able to write as much as I used to, so updates are going to take a while, I hope you understand!


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